Three excellent nominations were received for:
Chris Moran, Sutherland PCYC Concert Band
Katrina Smith, Castle Hill RSL Youth Band and
Jessica Taggart, Meriden School Concert Band

The winner was Katrina Smith from the Castle Hill RSL Youth Band.

About Katrina

I am sincerely very proud of Katrina’s maturity, leadership and musical qualities and wish her every success for all her future endeavours and studies.James Brice.

Katrina Smith has been a valued member of the Castle Hill RSL banding community since 1999. She has played bass clarinet with the Castle Hill RSL Youth Band for 10 years and with the Castle Hill RSL North West Wind Ensemble for 4 years.

As a member of the Castle Hill RSL Youth Band Katrina has showed strong leadership and has set a very high standard and example for current and future members. She has performed at each Nationals competition since 2000 and was part of the band during its successful reign at the State and National Championships winning the Junior A Concert Band section in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

As a member of the Castle Hill RSL North West Wind Ensemble Katrina helped the band with its victory in the Open A Championship at both the State and National level in 2006 and 2007 and its Open B victory at the State Championships in 2005.

Katrina has also been successful in solo competitions winning the Junior Bass Clarinet section in 2005 and 2006 at the Nationals and in 2005 at the State Competition and the Junior Clarinet at the State competition in 2006. Katrina enjoyed and was also victorious in the NSW metropolitan U/19 duets in 2007.

Leadership Qualities

Katrina’s contribution to the band does not only come from her playing abilities but in the leadership and guidance she gives to young musicians. She was a Band Representative on the Youth Band Management Committee between 2005 and 2007 and continues to play an active role in our band community.

Katrina’s leadership qualities came to the fore in November and December of 2007 when she led the Youth Band and North West Wind Ensemble in 3 Santa parades throughout shopping centres in Sydney. The band’s ranged in size from 15-23 and each performance was of a high quality and well received by both the audience and organisers.

Community Involvement

Throughout her membership of the Castle Hill Youth Band Katrina has proudly marched in the Sydney ANZAC Day Parade since 1999 in which the band has won the award for the “Best Cadet Marching Band” multiple times.

Katrina embraces the community aspect of the band always participating in local community performances which have included Australia Day performances for the Council, Citizenship Ceremonies, Bella Vista Carols, Relay for Life, Christmas and mid-year combined concerts, Santa parades, Town Hall Christmas Carols and the Chinese Lions Charity Dinner in 2007.

Education

Katrina’s musical education began in a community band and at school ensembles. She has now chosen to continue to bring music to future generations of prospective musicians.

Katrina is in her second year of a Bachelor of Music (Music Education) at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music with a High Distinction average in her Education major.

Katrina is currently combining her skills learnt in these areas as the conductor of the training band at Denistone East Public school continuing on from her conducting of the training band at Girraween High School in 2006.

Katrina is proud to be educating young musicians within the community, peripatetically teaching the clarinet, alto & tenor saxophone and flute at Cumberland High School, while also taking 2 clarinet tutorial groups at Winston Hills Public School and a flute tutorial group at Toongabbie Public School.

Katrina has also been privately teaching the clarinet and saxophone since 2006 and taught the alto and tenor saxophone at Doonside Technology High School in 2007. Katrina was a clarinet and vocal tutor at the NSW State Music camp in 2007 working with the most musically talented students in NSW.

Diverse range of skills

Katrina has used her valuable experiences in the Castle Hill RSL Youth Band under the outstanding leadership of Mike Butcher and James Brice to seek further opportunities to enhance and broaden her musical ability.

Katrina was a member of the NSW Secondary School Millennium Marching Band in 2006 as a member of the percussion section and from this she became a Drum Major (Assistant Conductor) at the end of 2006 and into 2007. With this ensemble she has performed at the 2006 Tri Nations Rugby League, the Schools Spectacular, as part of the Royal Agricultural Show Muster Band and at Education Week performances.

Through her involvement with this band Katrina has been selected to represent Australia as part of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Orchestra and will proudly perform at the Olympics in August of this year.

Role Model

Katrina excelled in at Girraween Selective High School as a role model musician being involved with all 7 of the school’s ensembles. This success continued into her Higher School Certificate when she achieved 7th in the state in Music 1.

Katrina successfully completed her 8th AMEB exam in 2005 and used this as part of the skills component for her achievement of the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award. The leadership qualities which she developed from this scheme she has used throughout her banding experiences. Once again Katrina sought to further her musical skills and is now a member of a jazz band In which she plays tenor saxophone. With this ensemble she has enjoyed a large number of both corporate and public events.

Influence and the future

Katrina has been a very influential member of the Castle Hill RSL Youth Band and North West Wind Ensemble she continually sets a high standard and acts as a positive example for the members in our band.

She has enjoyed competing at State and National band competitions for the last 8 years and has received huge benefits from the high standard of competition and musicality that these competitions provide.

Her unrelenting drive to broaden her musical abilities has lead her to play the bass and Bb clarinets, alto and tenor saxophones, flute and percussion while also becoming an accomplished conductor.

Katrina plans to use her community banding experience in combination with her education qualifications to keep music and concert bands alive amongst future generations.

Her current M.D, James Brice, said “I am sincerely very proud of Katrina’s maturity, leadership and musical qualities and wish her every success for all her future endeavours and studies”.